Railway-switch device.



G. R. JOHNSON. RAILWAY SWITGH DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILER JUNE 12, 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SEEET 1.

9&1,522.

TIE-5:, L

Willow/aces I e. R. JOHNSON. RAILWAY SWITGH DEVICE.

APPLICATION H1 31) JUNE 12, 1909. 1

941,522, Batented Nov. 30 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GEORGE a. JOHNSON, or CHELMSFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAILWAY-SWITCH DEVICE;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

Application filed June 12, 1909. Serial No. 501,844.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. JoI-INsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chelmsford, in the county of MiddleseX, State of Massachusetts, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switch Devices; and -.I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled 111 the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to railway track structures, more particularly to the switching portions of the track, and has for one of its objects to provide a simply constructed device whereby the objectionable gap which exists in the ordinary railway frog is dis pensed with, and provision made for a continuous and unbroken line both for the main line and the siding.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claim, and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a plan View of the improved device. F ig. 2 is a section, enlarged, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a section, enlarged, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a section, enlarged, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.

The improved device may be employed in connection with either split or stub switches without material structural changes in the device, but for the purpose of illustration is shown applied to a conventional stub switch in which 10-11 represent the switch rails, 12-13 represent the main line rails and 14-15 represent the switch or siding rails. The moved ends of the switch rails 10-11 operate over the usual chair device 16-17, and are coupled by the usual switch rod 18.

At the point where the usual frog is inserted the terminals 19-20 of the side rail 14, and the terminals 21-22 of the main line rail 13 are spaced apart for a considerable distance, a distance about equal to the space usually occupied by the ordinary frog structure. The terminals 19-21 are mounted upon a base plate 23, while the terminals 20-22 are mounted upon a similar plate 24. The base plates 23-24 are supported upon tie members 25-26, preferably of greater width than the usual ties, to insure stability of the structure.

Formed in the base structure 23 is a bear ing face 27, While a similar bearing face 28, is formed upon the base structure 24. Mounted to slide upon the surfaces 27-28 is a relatively large bearing body 29. The body 29 is formed widest at one end and with one straight side 30 corresponding to the inner line of the tread of the main line rail 19, so that when the member 29 is disposed at one end of the bearing surfaces 27-28, the straight sided portion of the member 29 will form a continuation of the rail 13 and bridge the gap which would otherwise be formed between the terminals 21-22. The opposite edge 31 of the member 29 is formed angular to correspond to the angle of the siding rail 14, so that when the member 29 is located at the opposite end of the surfaces 27-28 the edge 31 will coincide with the siding railand bridge the gap which would otherwise be formed between the terminals 19-20.

In Fig. 1 the member 29 is shown in full lines located to form the bridge or frog for the main line rail 13, and in dotted lines the member 29 is shown in position to bridge the gap in the siding rail 14. Extending transversely of the tie members 25-26 at the opposite ends of the base structures 23-24, are transverse tie members 32-33, said transverse tie members thus serving a three-fold purpose; first as supports to maintain the ties 25-26 in position; second as stops to bear against the terminals of the base members 23-24 and assist in supporting them in position, and preventing displacement thereof under the severe strains to which they will be subjected when in use, and third as guides for the member 29. The member 29 is provided with lateral lugs 34, the lugs being utilized to secure the member 29 to a base plate 35, the latter being utilized as a means for operating the member 29. Extending from one end of the plate 35 are guide members 36, the latter passing through keepers indicated at 37 secured beneath the transverse tie member 32. Extending from the opposite end of the plate 35 is a relatively long arm 38, the arm passing through the guide keeper indicated at 39 upon the transverse tie 33. By this means it will be understood that motion imparted to the arm 38 will move the plate and its attached member 29 upon its faces 2728, and thus shift the member 29 into either one of its two positions. The switch members 1011 are actuated by any suitable switching mechanism, but for the purpose of illustration a simple lever is employed for this purpose and represented in Fig. at and coupled by a link 41 to the rod 18. Connected to the tie member 26 is a bracket 42 to which a T-lever 43 is pivoted at 44:, the T-lever being in turn pivoted at 45 to the arm 38. Pivoted at 4:6 adjacent to the switch operating lever a0 is another T-lever 47 with one arm connected to the bar 18, so that the operation of the switch lever 10 will also operate the T-lever 4C7. Connected to the remaining arms of the T-lever are pull rods l849, the rods having turn buckles 5051 therein to enable the tension of the rod to adjust the length of the rods to cause the parts to operate in unison, as will be understood. By this arrangement the switch members 1011 and the member 29 will actuate simultaneously and by one single lever. Thus when the switch lever 40 is operated to set the switch points 1011 for the main line the member 29 will be disposed with its straight edges 30 in alinement with the main line rail 13, and when the switch lever 40 is reversed in position to set the switch points 10l1 for the siding rails let-15, the member 29 will be also reversed in position with its angular side 31 in ahnement wlth the siding rall 1a.

The improved device is simple in con- 1 struction, can be inexpensively manufactured, and being of few parts and simple in construction will not get out of order under the severe strains to which devices of this character are subjected.

lVhat is claimed is The combination with the rails of a main and side track spaced apart at their crossing points, of bearing plates supporting the confronting terminals of the rails and with bearing faces between the rails, supporting ties spaced apart and extending beneath said plates, a bridging body supported upon said bearing faces and slidable thereon, tie

bars secured transversely of said supporting ties and engaging against said bearing .plates at their ends, provided with trans- 

